


True Sound

by Riyawrithi



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M, Fairytale! AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-01-15 02:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21245828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riyawrithi/pseuds/Riyawrithi
Summary: In the Kingdom of Domin, Ryou is a princess, alongside her brother Bakura, the prince and heir to the crown. She has privilege, power, influence...But what she really wants is to be someone else. A person who can see the world the way normal people see it, and be treated like one of them. Someone who can be who she wants to be. And so, disguised as a commoner, she slips out into the castle town. Instead of that, she ends up indebted to a dark, wild-haired carpenter after accidentally burning his work. Despite their differences - and her ignorance of the realities of common life - the pair find they have real chemistry, and begin to open up to each other. How far could she go for him, when revealing her biggest secret could be the end of it all?





	1. Chapter 1

Domin Castle stood at the top of a hill, raised above the town some distance from it. A cobbled path took the privileged few deemed worthy of visiting past the iron gates, the sets of guards along the way, and up towards the castle, soon dividing the castle's sprawling gardens, a colourful maze of flowers, bushes and trees, before reaching the castle's moat. Another check of clearance, and the drawbridge would be lowered, allowing visitors in for a groveling audience with the royal family, unless they were upper class; in that case, they'd be greeted with a warm welcome, and the question of what they need. Money talked, after all, and though King Bakura I had always insisted he was a man of honour, giving equal time to the rich and poor alike, the reality was that, if a man was rich enough, high class enough, his concerns would always be more important than those of a commoner - or _peasant_, as his son would spit. The attitude had always disgusted Ryou; the common and the poor were, after all, the majority of the subjects in her family's kingdom. They may not have the wealth or influence of the rich upper class, but if not for them, she thought, there would be no kingdom; merely a piece of old architecture, and a rich family who claimed the dirt around it as their own.

Beneath, however, was a second path, winding down beyond the castle walls, past the surface route and into a clearing away from the castle. A labyrinth of tunnels connected the castle to the outside, saved only for the most dire of emergencies. Only the correct route would lead to the exit; all others came to dead ends, and any invader would soon be lost in the darkness, never to be seen again. Not that it had happened; the entrance was well hidden. A hatch in the woods on the edge of the castle's large grounds, covered with a shallow layer of earth would never be uncovered by a mere stranger. The only people who knew of it were the royal family themselves; even the guards assigned to the gate only knew that the tunnel went _somewhere_.

"Do you have everything?" Ryou asked. The castle-side entrance to the tunnels was in the castle's cellar - cold, and occasionally damp, but secure and quiet. The only thing guarded there was the entrance to the tunnel, shut behind a heavy iron gate and secured with bars. Cooks and maids occasionally popped down to access the storerooms, but beyond that, it was uncommon for it to get any traffic. Ryou stood, looking around anxiously, talking to the tunnel's guard, Jounouchi.

"Course I got everythin'," he scoffed, lacing his fingers behind his head, leaning casually against the gate. "What do ya take me for?" He protested, but even with his face shadowed by his thick blonde fringe, Ryou could almost see the smile in his eyes. He pretended to be offended, turning his face away with his nose raised, then laughed. "I wouldn't get yer hopes up falsely like that. Don't look so worried..."

Jounouchi reached down into the darkness beside him. The gate stood set slightly into the tunnel, affording cover at the edges from the flickering torchlight, reflecting off his armour liked sunlight from a pond. Feeling for a moment, he pulled a face, before finding the rough hemp texture he was looking for and pulling it, raising a brown sack into the light. He proffered it to Ryou, who took it carefully, pinching the edges and peering inside. A cloak the colour of dirt was shoved in at the bottom, crumpled and creased like an unmade bed. A simple dress of pleasant cream was folded on top of it. Even in the dim light of the cellar, Ryou could make out a rough texture. It wasn't anything like the fine blue dress Ryou wore, smooth, soft, and trimmed with white.

"I can tell you folded this, Jou..." She smiled.

"Oi!" Jounouchi blushed. "What's that s'posed to mean?"

"Don't worry," Ryou replied, fanning her hand as she held the sag in the other. "It looks the part, I mean. Nobody will suspect my true identity if I'm wearing this.....Will they?"

The guard's face straightened. "....Nah. I think ya can pull it off. Still...." He thought for a moment, then leaned in, scooping her hair between his index fingers and thumbs, brushing it towards the back. Up close, Ryou could see the creases on his face as he stared intently at her; it felt like only yesterday his face was soft and young.

"How about a ponytail?" He asked, stepping back and holding her hair with one hand to check the result.

"Does it...Look better?" Ryou asked.

"It looks plainer." Jounouchi replied, letting go. Ryou ran her fingers through her hair, easily smoothing it back into place. The white strands at the edges of her vision, troublesome pieces that never quite wanted to sit neatly, fell back into place. "If ya do it that way, I think ya'll be noticed less." He bit his lip.

Ryou nodded solemnly. "I'll do that, then."

"Are....Are ya sure about this?" Jounouchi asked. His brow furrowed again.

"....I'm certain. If I don't, then...I'll never know. It will always bother me, knowing that I had the chance and didn't take it. It's funny..." Ryou replied.

"Eh? What's funny?"

"Bakura always complains about the servants. 'If you want something done right, you'll have to do it yourself.' But I don't think he'd approve of what I'm about to do. It's too...Common. Beneath me, he'd say." She shook her head. "No, I can't settle for that." _And_, she admitted in her head,_ I'm tired of being alone. I want to be where everyone else is. _

Soon enough, Ryou changed, taking advantage of an empty room in the cellar as Jounouchi stood guard outside, on the off-chance a stray servant came down. She wondered as she dressed how commoners could wear such clothes; even without comparing to her own, they were coarse, with clear, graceless seams, some of which she wasn't confident would hold together in a pinch. It scraped her shoulder gently as she moved her arm, and the skirt was heavier than she was used to, hanging off her like a chandalier, swinging sluggishly to and fro as she paced. It was completely unlike the light, flowing garments she was used to. She felt painfully aware of her movements, as if walking in wet shoes. Still, it was a decent fit; she had to credit Jou for his ability to measure by eye. "It fits." Ryou told him, stepping out into the corridor after poking her head out to check both ways.

Jou blushed. "Good. I got funny enough looks gettin' those for ya. I'd hate ta go through that again..."

Ryou looked at the ground. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be." Jounouchi put his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "What are friends for, right? Yer my friend, Princess or not. And friends help each other."

Ryou smiled, and hugged her friend, standing on tiptoes. The metal breastplate of his armour was cold, but she still felt warm in his embrace. "Thank you."

"No worries." Jounouchi patted her on the back. "Just make sure ya get back in time, right? No one'll notice fer a few hours, but if it takes too long they'll wonder where y'are."

Ryou nodded. "The castle is only so big....If anyone asks, I'm burying myself in the library, as always. If _Mahad _asks....Say you didn't see me."

"Got it. Come on.."

Jounouchi led her back to the gate, then unlocked it. He'd cleaned and lubricated it beforehand, and it opened with barely a sound. A shiver ran through him as it swung open, exposing the darkness behind it. He told himself it was only the cold. "Be careful, yeah?" He warned again.

"I'm the princess," Ryou replied, stepping into the gloom. "I was raised to be cautious." _But this_, she noted, leaving the warmth and comfort of the castle behind her, _was very dangerous indeed._

* * *

The tunnel was cold and stagnant. Sealed as it was from the outside, the air was stale and damp, and mould crept in from the corners and cracks in the wall. Her footsteps echoed for some distance, and she unnerved herself a few times by letting herself imagine they were actually a second person's footsteps, following her. She kept pace, however, counting her steps. She'd grabbed the torch from the wall as she entered, but she didn't like to rely on it; if she became lost, sight wouldn't help her. The walls were unmarked and indistinct. Instead, she relied on her memory. As children, she and Bakura had snuck in several times. The tunnel was poorly guarded back then, and in truth, was still regarded as an unimportant position, as there'd been no need for such a thing in decades. They'd taken torches, ink and parchment, eager to explore an unknown part of the castle, mapping it themselves as if it were a game. They never did complete it - they had a close call where they were nearly discovered and didn't fancy pushing it - but they did discover the correct route to the exit, and memorised it. _Second right, first left, keep going until the fork, then take the left again. After that, take the third right... _Ryou counted the steps off in her head, remembering how many it should take. She was taller now, compensating for the difference by remembering her old footsteps. She felt a little wave of nostaglia revisiting those memories, and a pang of regret that her brother couldn't be with her now. She banished the thought with a shake of her head. She had to focus and forget Bakura. Dwelling on him would only distract her in a place she couldn't afford to get lost in. She pushed on, twisting and turning through the maze for what felt like a long time. She hoped her memory of getting through quickly was accurate.

Eventually, the turns disappeared. Instead, she found herself in a single corridor, ascending. The tunnel narrowed in until it was little more than single file. Raising her torch, Ryou saw a door above her head. A metal bar held it in place above a chunky wooden ladder, which she climbed to reach it. Flaked of rust peeled off with a screeching, scraping sound that gave her goosebumps, and the bar moved reluctantly. She nearly fell when, after half a minute of dedicated effort, it suddenly came loose. Physical exertion had never been her strong point - and actively discouraged, for clashing with her family's ideal image for her - but still, she wondered if it couldn't have been made more conveniently somehow. If she really had been hurrying to escape, the delay could have killed her. With another effort, she pushed the door open, two halves swinging outwards with a groan. Bits of dirt fell on her, and she brushed herself off frantically as the doors thumped into the grass, making a mental note to have the exit changed if she ever became queen. A breeze chilled her as she closed the doors behind her, and she was freshly grateful for what warmth her cloak lent her. It was only early evening, she noted; she hadn't taken as long in the tunnel as she thought, but it would only get colder. She had to hurry. She'd planned her outing for a long time. Her one chance to see as the commoners saw. To be seen as they were seen. To be normal. She wasn't about to waste it by dithering. She took one last look at the door, to be certain it was closed, then brushed some dirt on it and headed in the direction of town, away from the looming silhouette of the castle.

* * *

Domin's castle town was divided in two. Higher up the motte, closer to power in more ways than one was Upper Domin Town. The middle classes and the rich lived there, a gradient of wealth rising towards the top. The rain ran down to Lower Domin Town and pooled there, Ryou was told, among whatever shelter its inhabitants could build or afford. The poorest struggled to get by, overlooked by their betters from their mansions.

The streets of the upper town were paved with crushed stone, similar to the path to the castle. It was level, easy to walk on, and as clean as a street could be; turning her face away, she passed a woman in patchy grey, washing away the remains of the dirt and muck that had collected in its cracks and edges after the last rain. She supposed the woman must work for the owner of the mansion behind her; the inhabitants of Upper Domin Town were fond of vibrant colours, donning blues and lavender fabrics, putting on their airs and graces, even dyeing their hair or wearing wigs of white to imitate the royal family. The woman stood out like Bakura in a church, a lone grey figure shuffling around amidst the salmon red and peach coloured walls of the houses. She imagined a quick prayer for the woman's employer to be generous and continued on her way. The wind cutting through her clothes and chilling her skin reminded her of her time limit.

The centre of town was where all the shops were for the upper classes, organised by decades of habit into districts. They sold clothes, perfumes, shoes, and even had a few restaurants located around the triangular central plaza. Heading downhill again, the quality of the pavement diminishing until it was cracked and muddy, then simply nonexistent. Instead, it gave way to a dirt road that lead out into multiple disorganised, unfamiliar branches. Ryou had only seen it a handful of times, going past it in a wagon when her family travelled. She got the impression it was considered the kind of place one wrinkles their nose at and passes through as quickly as possible. To Ryou, however, it was an interesting place. The way the path split off haphazardly interested her. As a little girl with her face against the carriage window, she'd asked her father where they went. He merely replied that they went "nowhere important". She'd heard there was a market there, but never seen it, or even eaten anything anyone bought from it. She wondered where it was; the path had many branches, and no signs. She followed the one that appeared the most disturbed.

* * *

Unlike the refined upper class area of the city, Ryou discovered, the lower classes lived in a much more chaotic environment. The path continued as a dirt road; the edges were marked by long grass and bushes, leaning over and threatening to spill into the way, and in a few places, they had done. The twin grooves in the dirt carved by the wheels of a wagon broke their line at the site of a fallen tree, turning and moving around, leaving it where it was. A group of men, muscular and sweating, stood on either side with their feet planted firmly, grasping branches and straining to drag it aside.

"Come on, lads..." Said an older man, his hair greying by his temple where a vein was bulging as he strained. "Just a bit more..." The other men in the group, younger, nodded and counted to three before trying again, pulling it another few degrees out of the road. The sight was oddly compelling; in Upper Domin Town, the problem would have been resolved quickly by men hired to do it, but from their varying clothes and appearances, she was sure they were only regular inhabitants. She stalked up like a nervous doe and spoke. "Erm....May I help?" She'd imagined her outing hundreds of times, almost rehearsed it in her head, but now that she was truly experiencing it, she was very conscious of herself. How clean her face was compared to the sweaty, blemished faces of the commoners. _Or was that too harsh? Perhaps that was just what people looked like when they had to make their own living. _She flinched when they turned their heads to face her, looking away with her hood up. palms closed and close to her chest. Part of her was certain she'd be recognised any moment. A loud excalamation would ring out, and the others would look closely to confirm who she was. it would be the end of her freedom...But the shout never came. Instead, the eldest man spoke. His face looked like it was broken more than once, uneven and scarred, but he sounded, to her imagination, like a thoughtful grandfather, quite unlike his previous tone.

"Are ya sure, young lady?" His accent, on further listening, reminded her of Jounouchi. She couldn't help warming to him for it. "This is men's work. Wouldn't want t' hurt yerself."

Ryou blushed. The statement reminded her of Mahad's warnings of what people expected of her sex. "No..." She replied, shaking her head. "I'd like to help. This road for everyone, men _and _women. Everyone will be troubled if it's left as it is. I'm not incapable just because I'm a woman...And we're all together, aren't we?"

The stranger gave a lopsided smile. "Suit yerself." He turned back to the log, the group shuffling along the trunk to make a space for her. "Heave!"

The strain was immense. She hated to admit, but she was "a weak little thing" as her governess used to say. Even as she felt dragged along by the effort of the group, her own little contribution burned, her arms aching and begging for release. The bark scraped at her fingers and palms, and a few sharp jabs. The log moved. "Just a bit more..." The group huffed and shuffled further. "That's it...Now, let it down..." Ryou let it down with a grateful gasp; she felt like her arms were close to leaving their sockets.

"Ayy!" The group cheered. "Well done!" Ryou slipped away and carried on her path before someone else spoke to her; she didn't need the risk. Still, it was nice to help. A warm little feeling in her chest that reminded her of the Day Of Graceful Charity, but it wasn't the same. The splinters she could see stinging her fingers, the ache in her arms - _this my own effort_, they said. _Not like the family handing out money from on high_. It felt good.

* * *

The market was different than she'd expected. The path lead to an open area, like a plaza of dirt. Paths reached out from the circular shape in several directions, like the hands on a clock. Houses - or perhaps _shacks _would be a better term - lined those streets, orange torch lights dancing within. The market was filled with stalls of varying height, length and state of repair, in little order. Stalls with clothes stood next to others selling vegetables, across from a stall where a familiar blonde stood with bottles of medicine. Containers of burning scrap wood were placed around the area, bringing heat and light as the remnants of the day faded out, passed by merchants packing their stalls and pausing gratefully to warm their hands. "Excuse me..." She asked the nearest one, a young man packing vegetable crates onto a wheeled box, "Why is everyone packing up? It's not very dark..."

"...You aren' from here, right?" He frowned. The derision in his voice hurt. "Thieves start comin' out as it gets dark. Obviously."

"So you're all closing already?" She asked. He scowled, hearing the disappointment in her tone.

"Yeah. I'm not stayin' open just for you. Give it an hour? Only people around are thieves and people who reckon they can take 'em."

"Oh..." She walked away, dejected. Looking around confirmed what he'd said; almost everyone was packing up. There were so many stalls she wanted to look at. Street food to eat, trinkets to buy, or at least admire, People to see. _Why hadn't she gone earlier? _She cursed herself. She should have realised. Of course there was little to no town guard presence here. But now what? _Most likely your only chance, and you only saw people packing up and scurrying away,_ she thought bitterly, striking the last part off. _No, that's not fair. Don't sound like Bakura. Of course they want to go home when it gets dark._ She rubbed her hands together for warmth, looking down at the ground. They seemed to sting more, thinking it was for nothing.

Her gloomy thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a solid object to the stomach. She bent over, the wind knocked out of her, fixing her hood in a moment of panic as it jerked off her head.

"Can't you see where you're going?" An deep voice demanded. She looked up, and found herself at eye level with a broad chest. Looking up, she found a pair of deep purple eyes glaring back at her, framed by a pair of strong blonde eybrows, contracting together as if trying to crush the space between them. They seemed blank, somehow, but reflected the fury in his tone and strongly as the orange of the fire next to them.

"Look what you've done!" The looming stranger jerked his head towards the light. Smouldering in his hand was half a piece of parchment, marked with a series of diagrams - if she was reading it correctly, from what was left. She had little time to think on it as the stranger continued, a vein on his neck beginning to throb. "That's my work you've just burned..." He growled. Ryou's heart sank. The man loomed over her. A shock of blonde hair, spiking out in all directions like a splayed hand waved in the breeze, wafting away the smoke. His skin was dark, like many of the people living in the lower town. With his face strong and defined, he might have looked handsome, had he not looked at her as though wishing for her death. "How are you going to pay me back?" He demanded, forcing her to take a step back as he waved the parchment in her face for emphasis, filling her nose with the scent. "That's my work you've just ruined."

"I- I'm sorry." Ryou stammered. "But I'm only around for...A little while.."

"And? The time and money I spent on that isn't coming back. Make it up to me." He leaned in. "This area can be dangerous, you know..."

_Oh, Jou, _she thought. _Perhaps I wasn't cautious enough, after all._


	2. Chapter 2

In the castle, Ryou never had any reason to feel fear. She was, at all times, protected by dozens of guards stationed throughout and around the castle, layers of skilled soldiers protecting the royal family from harm. It struck her, staring into the angry stranger's eyes, that she'd become used to the security. Even far away from her guards and castle walls, the feeling had remained; realising how careless she'd been, despite her conscious preparation, made her gut clench. Ryou grimaced. The thought crossed her mind - for a moment - of simply paying him off. But how? She wasn't carrying any money, and even if she was, it would raise questions about how she could have so much. _If not, then what?_

The stranger glared at her expectantly.

"What's it to be?" He demanded. Ryou gulped.

"Erm....What exactly is going to happen if I can't pay?" She ventured. His eye twitched at that.

"You're _going _to pay." He snarled. His eyes darted back to the fire. The remaining embers of his document scattered to the wind as the breeze picked up, tossing his hair. He breathed in the cool air and sighed. "Look..." He started, turning back to her with a frown, "That's my work." He gestured into space where the ashes used to be. "Who do you think you are to march in here, destroy it, and say you can't pay? You could be...Severely punished. The guards don't care about the lower town." Ryou shuddered from a chill that had nothing to do with the wind. "Are you from Domin?" He asked.

"I'm....Not from here, no." Ryou lied, averting her gaze in equal parts fear or being caught in the lie, and of the look in the stranger's eyes.

"I'm shocked." He replied sarcastically. "You people who don't know anything do whatever you want, don't you? Trample in without looking, make demands, expecting the world to change for you, insulting the very people you're demanding things from..."

"What are you talking about?!" Ryou asked. "It was just an accident!"

"Then make it right." He snarled.

Ryou opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by another voice before she could. "Oi, what's the noise about?" It came from over the wild-haired man's shoulder, and he turned to glare at it. "It's getting late to be yelling."

The blonde looming over her looked away to speak, and Ryou ran. She wasn't used to running. In fact, it was downright rare, being such a far cry from the image of grace and elegance she was expected to project. Her feet slammed hard into the ground as she sprinted, kicking up mud on her skirt and the ground around her. Nearly tripping on it, she lifted her skirt at the knee, leaving her supposed elegance with the man she'd left behind her, along with the sound of his furious shouting. Others were turning to look now, glancing over curiously as she sprinted by, trying to keep her head down to keep her hood from catching air and blowing down. _This isn't how it was meant to be_. Her chest hurt. _It was only an accident_. Her legs burned, straining to keep the pace, tensing painfully as she rushed across uneven ground, starting uphill towards the middle of town. _This isn't right_. Her body gave way, and she tumbled to the ground, her lungs burning with each ragged breath. She pushed herself up to her knees with trembling arms and looked around. The dirt under her feet was thinner here, laid over by paving just ahead. The upper town. Behind her, the sounds of the lower town had faded, and the shouting was gone. She hoped it only meant her accuser had calmed down. She felt a burning in her knees as she stood, realising they were scraped, grateful, for once, that upper class fashion favoured long skirts and petticoats that hid the legs. With the immediate fear gone, she found herself unsteady. Even her scraped hands trembled, refusing to keep their practiced steadiness. Still, she seemed to have escaped. And nobody seemed to recognise her. _Even if they did_, she told herself, _who would believe them?_

Ignoring the tightness in her chest, she pushed on upwards, and returned through the previous route to the castle, changed and crept back to her room. When Jounouchi asked how it went, she said nothing.

* * *

Ryou woke up early the next morning. Tired from her adventure, she'd crashed into bed as soon as she'd returned and hidden her disguise, pausing only to scatter a few books in her room. If anyone looked, they should think she'd just worn herself out reading again. She bathed, taking particular care of her scratched hands. The skin was pink at the edges and rougher and coarser than her usual softness. She balled up her fingers, hoping nobody would look too closely; it would be an unlikely day to start. After that, the sound of the clock tower's bells told her it was breakfast time, so she headed into the dining hall after making herself ready.

"Good morning, sister." Her brother greeted her in the dining hall as she ate breakfast. Their parents had finished first and left, leaving Bakura to swagger in last as per usual, taking a seat across from Ryou. A servant delicately pulled it out as he approached, seen but unheard, then unseen and unheard as she swiftly left the room. As children, Bakura and Ryou had been the spitting image of each other; they'd even been able to swap clothes several times when Bakura wanted to get out of lessons and Ryou wanted _in_. They'd inherited their white hair from their parents, wearing it long and flowing to their shoulders, albeit uneven at the fringe, as it was constantly unruly there, kinking and curling as if deliberately trying to make an even cut difficult. Ryou, with time and help from her servants, had learned to tidy her appearance - and, naturally, was required to - but her brother, never patient enough to spend much time on his appearance, kept it choppy, a sharp swathe cutting across his nose. The edges stuck outwards like raised wings, and nobody had ever been able to smooth them; it simply grew that way as he aged, and stuck. The most distinguishing feature, however, apart from his sex, was the long white scar running down Bakura's right cheek. It marred his otherwise smooth face, running from his jawbone up to just beneath his eye. He'd been lucky the blade didn't catch those last few centimetres.

"Good morning." She replied, carefully keeping her tone cheerful.

"Where were you yesterday?" He asked, fixing his cool gaze upon her. "I didn't see you for several hours." Ryou nearly flinched. She pushed some bread into her mouth to buy time, nearly choking on it.

"Oh, I was reading in the library..." She lied, pretending to be sheepish. "I found an interesting book..."

"Hm?" Bakura cocked an eyebrow. "In the library?" He scoffed, picking at his eggs with his fork.

Ryou pouted. "Just because you don't appreciate them, doesn't make them boring..." She hoped she was understanding correctly. Bakura had never much cared for reading, only attending the lessons forced on him by their parents, but if he didn't mean it that way, she'd be caught in the lie. Fortunately, he merely tilted his head back towards her with a characteristic sigh and asked her about it. "Alright, what's so interesting, then?"

Ryou pressed a finger to her lips, searching for some convincing trivia. "Hmm, well....Did you know the Kaiba Empire have actually tried to invade three times? The last was around a century ago."

"Sounds about right." Bakura sneered. "Empires are never happy conquering _just _half of the known world." The corners of his lips rose. "Though, they haven't been that powerful for centuries. If they thought they were, they wouldn't be grovelling with our country for an alliance."

Ryou let out a quiet sigh of relief. "That's true. But I wouldn't insult them so boldly when you visit them," she warned, pausing to finish her plate, "unless you want to end up with another scar on your face." Bakura's jaw tightened at that.

"I can say what I want." He muttered, turning his scarred side away.

"That doesn't mean you should." Ryou countered.

"And why ever not?" Bakura asked. "The only people we have to answer to are Mother and Father. Everyone else in the kingdom is beneath us."

"Considering," Bakura smirked, "not to use the power we have would be a waste of our privilege. People should use what they have, and you have a lot....You are a royal princess, after all."

Ryou's stomach twisted. The image of the carpenter from the previous night came to mind, angrily scolding her and demanding payment. _Due payment_, she might add. "So...What do you do, then?" She asked. "Do you just walk around the kingdom as if you own it, taking what you like? What about how it affects others?"

"I _do _own it." Bakura huffed. "Well, close enough. Father's hair is looking rather like mine, these days, and that doesn't run on his side of the family..." He sat up, propping himself up on the table with his elbows. "We're royalty. We choose what we want to do, and the country moves to service them. In exchange, we provide strength and stability. We give them order...Structure. A place as people of _our _kingdom...Not mere peasants in an unnamed land."

"I had no idea you thought so highly of them." Ryou dryly remarked.

"What are you fussing for?" Bakura asked, staring intently at her.

"It's nothing." She replied, moving gracefully to her feet, sliding her chair back in. Her brow twitched as it groaned, wood scraping against the floor. "I've lost my appetite." She muttered, passing her brother on her way out without looking at him. "Have a good day, _Prince Bakura_."

* * *

The day was a slow one. Ryou was used to slow days. As an _asset_, not _ruler material _like her brother, she was expected to spend her days sewing, attending to her appearance, practicing her airs and graces, shaping herself into the ideal princess, a perfect card to be played in negotiation. The history she'd learned from her reading told her she'd likely be married off to gain someone's favour one day, unless, God forbid, her father, mother and brother were all to die in a horrible accident, or a "horrible accident". She'd learned from what she actually spent her days doing, reading her way through the family's impressive library. She'd often spend days reading about history and politics, but in truth, her favourite stories were works of fiction - but if anyone asked, _books were too much to think about for someone of her delicate disposition_. One mercy - that Ryou couldn't decide the size of - was that her father had let her keep reading after discovering her hobby. He'd scolded her about defying her place, of course._ You'd be much happier without them_, he insisted. _This library's true purpose is for the rulers of Domin. You needn't concern yourself with matters beyond your place. If you persist, don't say I didn't warn you._ She'd thought better of asking how that could be considering the amount of fiction it also included. Still, she found solace in them. She could read about far away places and imagine herself there, adventure through fantastic lands through fictional characters; even feel, for a time, as though their companions were her own. Hours could pass before she realised, sparing her the tedium of an empty day that never seemed to end.

That day, however, her books failed her. Every time she tried to read, to close off her own thoughts and immerse herself, she faltered and failed. Her brother's words stuck in her like a barb. _The only people we have to answer to are Mother and Father. Everyone else in the kingdom is beneath us...You are a royal princess, after all. _

"Is that really true?" She sighed. She didn't feel greater than them. In fact, thinking back to the previous night made her feel positively small. _What was he doing now? _Perhaps he was sat in a workshop somewhere, working himself ragged trying to recreate his burned work. Or perhaps he was wishing for a meal, going hungry. Perhaps the money he was going to earn was the difference between having food and starving. Or, just possibly, he was fine. Ryou scratched her head. What was real? What was mistaken belief?

"What do you think?" She asked Jounouchi. Unable to find an answer on her own, she sought out the guardsman, confessing the complete events of the previous night.

"I dunno." He scratched his head with a frown. "I keep my dad's house up best I can, so I've never met the guy. I mighta heard of him, though..."

"What did you hear?" Ryou titled her head.

"Hmm...He's got a bad temper." Jounouchi replied, after a moment's thought. "When he's about, that is...My neighbours asked him to do somethin' for 'em a while back, they said. He'll disappear for a week, not even a word, then come back with what ya need. They said he was scary, but I never heard he was actually violent..."

"So, what should I do?" Ryou reiterated. "I think...I've probably got to fix it somehow. I can't talk to anyone else about this."

Jounouchi nodded. "Yeah. Then they'd know.."

Ryou nodded. "Mm. But more than that...They don't see _me_. They see _the throne_. I have lots of _servants_, but...You're my only _friend_."

"Nah. I reckon ya got a few more than ya think, push comes ta shove." He said, smiling and folding his arms. "Still....Y'ought ta make it up ta that guy. That's what ya want, right?"

Ryou nodded, looking down guiltily. "I really didn't mean to push him. I can't relax thinking I've hurt his work. I feel like _Bakura_."

"Then go fix it." Jou replied brightly. "One more time won't kill ya..."

"It might kill _you_, if they find out.."

"I'm not that sloppy, y'know." He grinned. "I got your back; reckon I know a few delayin' tactics, if anyone asks. You lot weren't up for a modest little castle, after all.."

"Thank you." Ryou smiled.

"Don't mention it. What are friends for, right? Just be careful."

* * *

Following the directions Jounouchi had given her, Ryou headed back out into lower Domin Town. She felt wary as she walked around it, glancing nervously from person to person, checking for signs of recognition, not just as the princess, but as the woman from the previous night. Nobody even spared her a second glance, though; she wondered, with a grimace, if that kind of occurrence might be normal there. Her legs seemed to get heavier as she approached the carpenter's house. It was a simple dwelling, made of familiar wood and stone, but the shape was unusual, squarish and solid, with little in the way of slants or gutters. The few that it did have appeared newer, their earth colours less dampened and greyed by exposure. Attached to the building was what seemed to be a workshop, protected from rain by a wooden overhang, beneath which a rough table sat with some rough looking tools laid out. Trying to shake her feeling of doom, Ryou approached the front door, hesitating before giving it a decisive knock.

"Hello?" The carpenter appeared at the door shortly, his head tilting lazily to one side as he answered it. His eyes, heavy-lidded and relaxed, narrowed in anger as he took her in, straightening up to his full height. "You." He scowled.

"...Yes." Ryou replied evenly, trying to maintain her composure. The heaviness in her legs was gone now - actually, she felt light as a feather, and half as likely to take flight. It took some effort to remain still and reply, keeping in mind her reason for coming. "I'm...Sorry about the other day." She started, knitting her fingers together. "I....Panicked."

"Panicked? How do you think I felt?" He asked. "That work took me days. Now I have to redo it and I'm delayed. Don't know where you're from, but jobs from up Domin don't come down _here _often. I've little time to remake it, and that's going to knock on to my other work." The confirmation stabbed at Ryou's chest.

"So it did cost you...." She muttered.

"Of course it did!" He said, raising his voice. She must have looked intimidated; his eyes widened at her expression, and paused for a moment to take a breath before speaking again less harshly. "Of course it did." He repeated. "Why are you here? You _fled_." Ryou nodded, looking a her feet.

"I panicked the other night. I suppose...I'm not used to it, I think."

"Used to what?"

"...Consequences. Having it come back to get me, personally, when I do something."

"Hrm?" The carpenter grunted. "What kind of life have you been living?"

"Oh! I mean...I don't go out much..." Ryou said. "So I don't usually end up bumping into people or causing anything to happen."

"But you travelled here? You said you were from out of town." He frowned.

"I did. I wanted to travel more instead of staying...Back home." For a moment, she was reminded of watching her brother in the past, sparring with a partner. Parrying each attack with his sword, but constantly on the back foot, struggling to get a hit in. She knew the feeling; she had to break out and get her point in, or, at that rate, be undone. "But I am here for a reason." She said, raising her voice. "I want to make it right with you. I don't have enough money to pay you, I'm sure..." Nothing that could be explained, anyway...."But, if it's acceptable, I could work for you for a while? There are lots of things I don't know, and I can't guarantee predictability.., but I'll work hard to make it up to you. Nobody's ever said I'm a liar. Yet."

The carpenter was quiet. After a few moments, he smirked. "Hmm. That is a strange attitude...You got away scot free, but now you come back and put yourself at my mercy? What if I just wanted to beat you until I'm satisfied?"

"That doesn't seem like you." Ryou replied, steely. "And if you did...I would endure it." She said, allowing herself a little confident smile. The carpenter grinned.

"Is that backbone yours? You don't look like the hardy type."

"It's mine."

"....Fine, then." He unclenched his fists. "Since you didn't grovel...You can pay it off with work. But don't expect me to be soft."

Ryou nodded. "I understand."

"I'm Mariku." He said. "Mariku Ishtar. So, you are?"

"Ryou....um, Ryoko." She stammered. "It's...Nice to meet you."

"Nice? " He smirked. "You're not a good liar, are you? Well, come in. I'll show you how far I've got with the _replacement _for that work you ruined..." He turned and headed inside, his hair noticeable brushing against the ceiling as he stepped in.

"I wonder about that." Ryou muttered, taking one last look at the daylight before stepping inside.

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a fairly long one. It's an au Milliekou and I have been developing for a while. It span out of a discussion we had about a fairytale idea in which Ryou was a princess, and Mariku was a pauper. But we just can't help developing stray ideas into stories, so we started talking about their world, relationships, friends and family, and here we are. It started from talking about how we dislike royalty and the idea that someone is better than someone else by blood, and somehow ended up with Ryou as a princess. We're not going down the "It's fine they're all secretly rich/royal" route. I'm also trying to destroy my habit of procrastinating in case it's not good enough. And yes, it's fem Ryou, but Ryou is Ryou, and Malik is Malik, and it's fun to imagine them in different ways. 
> 
> The main couple of this story will be Mariku and Ryou, but there will be Thief, too.


End file.
